Chapter 210: The Forest Hunter

After hearing Bruno's words, Ron suddenly realized that a bright path lay before him.

Initially, he had chosen to become a Ranger because of Matthew. Over time, witnessing the dedication and actions of other Rangers had gradually made him feel a sense of belonging to the profession.

In reality, regardless of the profession, it required significant time and effort.

For Ron, who was solely focused on becoming stronger, this seemed like a waste of time.

Now, however, Bruno had pointed him toward a new path—becoming a Forest Hunter!

A Forest Hunter was actually a specialized branch of Rangers. However, instead of regular duties, their targets were poaching groups, those who operated like hyenas preying on Pokémon.

Unlike regular Rangers who were stationed in specific areas and patrolled periodically, Forest Hunters had no fixed area of operation. They could move freely across the Kanto region, tracking and eliminating Pokémon poachers and their organizations.

When necessary, they could also request the assistance of nearby Rangers. Ron had previously encountered one such Forest Hunter—Marlon, a Trainer at the Elite Four level.

Despite not having a fixed team or jurisdiction, Forest Hunters held more authority than regular Rangers.

If Ron chose to become a Forest Hunter, his rank would be half a level higher than a High Elite-level Ranger captain, granting him the authority to mobilize them as needed.

Additionally, Forest Hunters received a higher salary than their Ranger counterparts. On top of that, they were awarded bonuses based on the number of completed missions.

However, with greater power came greater risks and responsibilities.

Unlike regular Rangers who worked in teams, Forest Hunters usually operated alone. Their targets were often elusive poachers, and in some cases, entire poaching syndicates.

Due to the unpredictable nature of their missions and the formidable strength of their enemies, the minimum qualification to become a Forest Hunter was a High Elite-level strength ranking.

According to regulations, High Elite-level Forest Hunters had to complete at least twelve missions per year—each mission requiring them to eliminate a Pokémon poacher.

Higher ranks, such as Quasi-Elite Four Trainers and even Elite Four-level Trainers, had to complete even more missions.

Because of the immense danger, there were currently only around two hundred Forest Hunters in existence, and that number was dwindling.

While two hundred might sound like a lot, it was actually quite scarce considering the vastness of the Kanto region. Compared to poachers—who multiplied like cockroaches—it was barely enough to make a dent in their numbers.

On the surface, being a Forest Hunter was an enticing profession with excellent benefits. However, the risks far exceeded those of regular Rangers.

Most people would likely be deterred by the high-risk and demanding nature of the job.

But to Ron, becoming a Forest Hunter meant more time and opportunities to grow stronger. Additionally, he could seize valuable resources from poachers to aid his own development—all while enjoying a high degree of freedom.

Without hesitation, Ron agreed to become a Forest Hunter.

"Excellent! I knew you would choose this path. Let me handle your registration. I hope you make a name for yourself soon."

Bruno was pleased with Ron's decision.

For someone with Ron's talent and strength, anything less than becoming a Forest Hunter would have been a waste in Bruno's eyes.

Unfortunately, due to League regulations, unless Ron applied for the position himself, he would have only been eligible to become a Ranger captain.

Some might have found ways to bend the rules, but not Bruno. He strictly adhered to the League's guidelines. However, nothing stopped him from educating Ron about the different paths available.

With Bruno's guidance, Ron was quickly taken to the Ranger Headquarters near the Indigo Plateau.

The Indigo Plateau wasn't just the site of the Pokémon League Conference. It also housed the headquarters of the Kanto League and several other organizations.

Though these factions operated independently, they occasionally collaborated on missions when needed.

Of course, this cooperation did not extend to the five major noble families, including the Nyland family, who openly opposed the current Elite Four.

With Bruno's help, Ron swiftly completed his registration. However, he was somewhat disappointed—he had hoped to meet more of his new colleagues, but the Forest Hunter Headquarters was nearly empty.

Bruno explained that this was simply the nature of Forest Hunters.

Most of them, like Ron, preferred to be out in the field completing missions or training in seclusion rather than staying at headquarters.

Missions could be accepted and submitted online, with rewards collected at Ranger outposts or Pokémon Centers in various towns—eliminating the need for regular check-ins at headquarters.

Starting today, Ron was officially one of them, and he was automatically added to a private communication network exclusive to Forest Hunters. When faced with particularly difficult missions, Hunters often used the network to request reinforcements.

The network also served as an emergency alert system—allowing Hunters to call for immediate backup in dire situations.

At present, the Forest Hunter ranks consisted of 130 High Elite-level Trainers, 65 Quasi-Elite Four Trainers, and 5 Trainers at Elite Four level.

Although five Elite Four-level Hunters might seem like a small number, it was important to remember that Forest Hunters were merely one part of the broader Ranger organization.

This raised an important question—how many Elite Four-level Trainers existed within the entire Ranger force? And by extension, how many were scattered throughout the Pokémon League?

And if the League had such strength at its disposal, just how powerful was Team Rocket—an organization capable of giving them so much trouble?

"Don't overthink it," Bruno interrupted Ron's thoughts. "I'll tell you the truth—the entire Ranger force only has twelve Elite Four-level Trainers."

Noticing Ron's expression, Bruno could tell exactly what he was thinking and provided clarification.

Even so, the fact that the Rangers alone had twelve Trainers of such caliber was enough to shock Ron. It made him realize just how powerful the Kanto League truly was.

Once he had processed this information, Ron shifted his focus to understanding the finer details of being a Forest Hunter.

With Bruno's guidance and the League's ongoing digitization efforts, the onboarding process was straightforward.

The rules and regulations of Forest Hunters weren't drastically different from those of regular Rangers, making it easy for Ron to grasp his new responsibilities.

Forest Hunters were assigned missions based on their rank.

High Elite-level Hunters could accept Mid Elite to High Elite level missions.

Quasi-Elite Four level Hunters could take on high-elite to Quasi-Elite Four level missions.

Elite Four-level Hunters could only accept Quasi-Elite Four level or Elite Four-level missions.

The difficulty of the mission determined the rewards, and higher-ranked Hunters had different task completion requirements.

Without hesitation, Ron accepted a mission to eliminate a Mid Elite level Pokémon poacher—his first step toward adapting to his new role.

Bruno did not accompany him any further. As the overseer of the Rangers, he had countless responsibilities to attend to. He had already invested time in training Ron out of personal interest.

From this point forward, if Ron wanted more resources, he would have to earn them himself.

And that was precisely what Ron wanted.

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